By Ryan Acosta, Staff Writer

The novelist Barbara Kingsolver once said that, “What you lose in blindness is the space around you, the place where you are, and without that you might not exist. You could be nowhere at all.”

For many people, the sense of sight is perhaps one of the essences of existence. After all, we mainly judge reality on the basis of what we see. That is why blindness, be it partial or complete, is such a devastating blow for any individual.

While gruesome accidents may cause blindness, the vast majority of people suffer blindness due to diseases like glaucoma. In the United States, glaucoma is the main cause of blindness. It is estimated that more than 2 million Americans suffer from glaucoma.

There are several forms of glaucoma, but open-angle glaucoma (OAG) is by far the most common type and accounts for more than 90 percent of the total glaucoma cases in the US. While OAG may occur in young people, it tends to be more prevalent in the elderly. According to the latest estimates, OAG affects up to 1.86% of the total elderly population. And the number is expected to increase in forthcoming years. By 2020, it is possible that more than 3 million elderly may be affected with OAG.

What Causes OAG?

Open-angle glaucoma results when fluid pressure inside the eyes rises to an abnormal level. High fluid pressure eventually damages the optic nerve. Once the optic nerve is damaged, partial loss of vision and total blindness may follow.

Genetic factors may influence development of OAG. However, there are other reasons why fluid pressure in the eyes abnormally increases. Hypertension is believed to be a prime cause of OAG. Long term use of steroids may also cause a person to develop OAG.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

While many diseases have distinct signs and symptoms that may lead to early diagnosis, OAG is very different. At its early stages, OAG is asymptomatic. There is no pain in the eyes and vision may remain normal. But as the disease further develops, a person may have difficulty seeing objects to the side. If left untreated, loss of side vision will follow. Eventually, an OAG sufferer will also lost the ability to clearly see objects in front of him. Finally, total loss of vision will follow.

There is no standard screening for OAG detection. The disease can only be properly diagnosed through a combination of eye examinations, such as, visual acuity test, dilated eye exam, tonometry, pachymetry, and visual field test.

More Effective OAG Treatment is Imperative

As with other types of glaucoma, there is no known cure for OAG. Current treatments mainly aim to halt further loss of vision. However, it is an unfortunate fact that many OAG patients still suffer blindness even if they avail of proper treatment, such as medications and surgical procedures.

There is a great need for us to find more effective treatment for OAG. The National Eye Institute (NEI) is currently supporting research aimed at finding new ways to effectively treat OAG at its early stages as well as to developing long-term medical and surgical treatments for OAG.

Another exciting research opportunity involves the use of stem cells. For current and future OAG patients, stem cell research may offer one of the most promising hopes. Researchers from the Schepens Eye Research Institute, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, are now exploring the possibilities of using stem cell therapy to repair damaged optic nerves of OAG patients.

Yet, much is needed to be done. Scientists cannot do it alone. Cooperation from every segment of society is vital in order for promising studies to bear fruit.

Help Campaign for Aging Research combat aging. Through your generous support, we can find a better future for seniors who suffer from debilitating age-related diseases like open-angle glaucoma.

References:

Friedman, D.S., Wolfs, R.C., O’Colmain, B.J., Klein, B.E., Taylor, H.R., West S., Leske, M.C., Mitchell, P., Congdon, N., Kempen, J. Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group. “Prevalence of Open-angle Glaucoma Among Adults in the United States.” Archives of Ophthalmology. 122.4 (2004): 532-38.

Glaucoma Research Foundation. Optic Nerve and Stem Cell Research. 2010. http://www.glaucoma.org/research/optic_nerve_and.php.

National Eye Institute (NEI). Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS). April, 2010. http://www.nei.nih.gov/neitrials/static/study49.asp.

NEI. Facts About Glaucoma. February, 2010. http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/glaucoma/glaucoma_facts.asp.

Truck, M.W. and Crick, R. P. The Age Distribution of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. Ophthalmic Epidemiology. 5. 4 (1998): 173-183.

Posted under: Glaucoma.

Tags: Open-angle glaucoma

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